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The increased usage of intravenous iron in hemodialysis patients during recent years has led to increasing concern over the potential development of iron overload. Current methods for detecting iron overload, transferrin saturation, and serum ferritin are neither sensitive nor specific. Labile plasma iron (LPI) represents a component of nontransferrin‐bound iron and may be a more accurate indicator of impending iron overload. We studied whether LPI measured can serve as an early indicator of impending iron overload and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Chronic hemodialysis patients from two medical centers in Israel and Poland who received intravenous iron were included. Baseline clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded. LPI was measured before and 48 hours after a single IV administration. Correlation of positive LPI with laboratory parameters and 2‐year mortality was evaluated. One hundred and one hemodialysis patients were included in the study. LPI became positive post‐administration in 18 (17.8%) patients. Ferritin levels >526 ng/mL and monthly iron doses >250 mg were associated with positive LPI after intravenous iron. At a 2‐year follow‐up, higher mortality was observed in the positive LPI group (61.1% compared to 25.3%, P ≤.05), although this effect was not statistically significant after multivariate adjustment. A substantial number of hemodialysis patients have positive LPI after intravenous iron administration. LPI positively correlates with laboratory parameters that are currently in routine clinical use for detecting iron overload and with higher intravenous iron dose. Further studies should be conducted to establish the clinical implications of LPI monitoring in hemodialysis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) has introduced a new perspective to several well-known disease entities impacting nephrology, haematology and pathology. Given the constantly changing disease spectrum of these entities, it is clinically imperative to establish diagnostic and treatment pathways supported by evidence-based medicine. MGRS is a disease of the kidney, secondary to plasma cell clonal proliferation or immune dysfunction, requiring therapeutic intervention to eradicate the offending clone. To fully understand the disease(s), it is prerequisite to determine the significance of the findings. The diagnostic work up should be extensive due to the wide heterogeneity of clinical presentation, ultimately necessitating kidney biopsy. Particular patient profiles such as AL amyloidosis, which may be diagnosed through biopsies of other tissues/organs, may be an exception. Treatment decisions should be formulated by multi-disciplinary consensus: nephrologists, haematologists and pathologists. The ultimate goal in managing MGRS is eradication of the offending plasma cell clone which requires targeted chemotherapy and, in eligible cases, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We present a review of diagnostic procedures, treatment options and advances in the last few years in the management of MGRS in an effort to acquaint specialists with this new face of several older diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia of high clinical importance, occurring in 2% of the general population and in 19–24% in patients with chronic kidney disease. It is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Kidney transplant recipients with a history of AF were associated with significantly higher rate of ischaemic strokes, graft failure and post-transplant mortality. AF occurs in over 7% of kidney transplant recipients in the first 3 years after transplantation and is associated with reduced graft and patient survival. The incidence of stroke in patients after kidney transplantation (KTx) is higher than the general population, but markedly lower than those on dialysis. Oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy is recommended in AF patients at high risk of stroke. There are no randomized studies assessing OAC in patients after KTx and there are no specific recommendations and guidelines on therapeutic strategies in these patients. KTx recipients are a vulnerable population, exposed to variations in renal function, being at higher risk of bleeding and thrombotic complications, with possible interactions with immunosuppression. Surely, there is a place for novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in this group of patients as long as the summary of product characteristics is followed, as they are a valuable anticoagulation therapy. On one hand, they are at least as effective as warfarin; on the other hand NOACs are safer, especially when it comes to intracranial haemorrhages. However, NOACs seem to be underused in this population as they are excreted via kidney, may interact with immunosuppressive therapy and physicians need more experience and confidence in their administration. Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion procedure may also be considered as an opportunity for this group of patients, in particular in the presence of contraindications to anticoagulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]